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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Breastfeeding at 5 years?!
Liz, from Boston, asks:
I am 13 and my brother is 5 and my mom still breast feeds him 3 or 4 times a day. Is it normal to breast feed a 5 year old? I was never breast fed. I told her it is weird for her to be breast feeding a 5 year old. She says he will stop when he is ready. How can i get her to stop?
Stacy Says:
5 years old?!?!? Whoa, that's a little much. Recommendations from all sorts of medical organizations say to breast feed as long as possible, typically until the baby is 1 year old. 5 is WAY TOO OLD to be breast fed. I mean, does he have to leave kindergarten for a mid-morning snack? Does she feed him in public? Only at home? What does daddy think?
This is not a case of your brother stopping when he is ready, your mom is obviously not ready to let him grow up. Sounds like your mom is really having a hard time mentally dealing with your brother growing up. Maybe she knows she won't have another baby and doesn't want to let go of that experience. BUT, she really needs to move on. Breastfeeding for this long is not necessary--he's TOO OLD! Unfortunately, there's not much you can do. Tell her it makes you VERY uncomfortable and that none of your friend's little brothers are still breastfeeding (I'm just assuming that no one else does, right?). Tell her you think he's too old. Tell her you think it's icky. I'm not saying telling her will do any good and make her stop. But the least you could do is try.
I am 13 and my brother is 5 and my mom still breast feeds him 3 or 4 times a day. Is it normal to breast feed a 5 year old? I was never breast fed. I told her it is weird for her to be breast feeding a 5 year old. She says he will stop when he is ready. How can i get her to stop?
Stacy Says:
5 years old?!?!? Whoa, that's a little much. Recommendations from all sorts of medical organizations say to breast feed as long as possible, typically until the baby is 1 year old. 5 is WAY TOO OLD to be breast fed. I mean, does he have to leave kindergarten for a mid-morning snack? Does she feed him in public? Only at home? What does daddy think?
This is not a case of your brother stopping when he is ready, your mom is obviously not ready to let him grow up. Sounds like your mom is really having a hard time mentally dealing with your brother growing up. Maybe she knows she won't have another baby and doesn't want to let go of that experience. BUT, she really needs to move on. Breastfeeding for this long is not necessary--he's TOO OLD! Unfortunately, there's not much you can do. Tell her it makes you VERY uncomfortable and that none of your friend's little brothers are still breastfeeding (I'm just assuming that no one else does, right?). Tell her you think he's too old. Tell her you think it's icky. I'm not saying telling her will do any good and make her stop. But the least you could do is try.
